Policy

Germany’s Bundestag approves a $55 billion military procurement package and accelerates rearmament by loosening constitutional debt limits Under NATO’s unprecedented “5% of GDP” agreement, the EU injects funding through joint borrowing such as 45-year SAFE loans Debt-laden Europe faces a “guns-and-butter” dilemma, cutting welfare budgets to finance security

“Will Allow Nvidia H200 Exports to China” Trump’s Hardline Move US Pushback Grows, While Self-Reliant China Responds Coolly US Chip Export Strategy Seen as Losing Leverage Over China As US President Donald Trump moves to ease semicondu

China–Japan Tensions Spill Into the Military Domain Japan to Set Next-Year Defense Budget at a Record $60 Billion Missiles, Drones, and Expanded Force Projection Signal Strategic Shift As tensions between China and Ja

EV skepticism expands into the policy arenaSubsidy-dependent structures expose vulnerabilities

Japan’s chip revival must be talent-first Play niches—packaging, sensors, photonics—over a scale race Tie subsidies to audited workforce and yield outcomes The scariest number in the chip biz isn't about cash or size.

Blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela Interdiction operations in the Caribbean and the Pacific after the FTO designation Concerns over sovereignty violations as a state government is labeled a terrorist group U.S.

Red Sea insurance premiums fall to 0.2%, while Black Sea premiums surge 250%, deepening regional risk decoupling Despite toll discounts by the Suez Canal Authority, security costs outweigh benefits, sustaining a “cost inversion” favoring the Cape of Good Hope route If routes normalize, shorter sailing distances combined with record newbuild deliveries could trigger a supply glut, experts warn

China Imposes 4.9%–19.9% Anti-Dumping Tariffs on EU Pork Beijing Strikes Back as the EU Uses Tariffs to Push Out Chinese EVs EU and China, Once Hinting at Cooperation Against US Tariff Barriers, See Ties Cool Again China is set to impose ant

Policy and market conditions prioritized lower costsInverters emerge as data and control risks

Unusual mention of “reflection” during a Diet response Diplomatic, military, and economic tensions intensify amid Japan-China frictions China’s influence reaffirmed in East Asia’s hegemonic contest

WTO paralysis spurs tariffs and subsidies—an industrial policy arms race Replace blanket tariffs with evidence-based, sunset countervailing duties Prioritize resilient skills; publish subsidy math to restore trust By 2025, t

The European Commission remains silent as Germany and others seek direct channels European industrial competitiveness trapped by Green Deal regulations Loss of decision-making power between great powers becomes reality, strategic autonomy recedes

Shrinking international support and fiscal constraintsTalks enter phase of fine-tuning terms with Russia

China’s J-10C falters in maneuvering against India’s Rafale fighters In May, Rafales were reportedly downed by Chinese-made jets and missiles Global arms demand looks for new suppliers, with some shifting toward South Korea The competit

China centralizes iron ore power Simandou adds leverage and options Train procurement to protect budgets In late 2025, China, which accounts for almost three-quarters of the world's seaborne iron ore trade, showed its str

Raise base pay to close gaps and stabilize schools Use low-bias bonuses to retain high-impact teachers in hard posts Pair pay reform with clean screening and clear metrics to lift quality We’re facing a serious probl

Mining access secured in exchange for security supportPeace mediation, stability, and national reconstruction as justification

South Korea bets on technological edge, accelerated delivery, and whole-of-government coordination as its decisive play Germany counters with a long-horizon package tied to Norway and an industry-linked counteroffensive EU moves to harden intra-European self-sufficiency underpinned by the SAFE fund

Emphasis on legitimacy, self-confidence, and principlesTechnological great-power status feeds diplomatic confidence

Xiangshan Forum is China’s planning room for global governance Beijing fuses hard power and finance to shape rules Education must teach Xiangshan-era governance, standards, and AI/security The Xiangshan Forum, held